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ARJ3UE U. S. POSTAL EMPLOYES' RIGHTS.
Washington, Aug. 13. The
right of postal employes to or
ganize and strike if they so desire
caused a bitter debate in the sen
ate today.
The question came up in con
nection with the postoffice appro
priation bill. Yesterday Senator
LaFollette made the startling
charge that his letters to postal
employes on the subject of Union
ism had been opened by depart
ment officials, and the persons to
whom the letters were addressed
disciplined.
Today Senator Smith upheld
the right of all government em
ployes to organize. He said that
there was not, nor could be, any
law preventing an American citi
zen from joining any organization
he pleased.
"If postal employes are dissatis
fied with their wages," he shout
ed, "or with the conditions of
service, they have the right toJ right of any government employe
give up their positions when they
feel like it."
Then Senator Elihu Root, who
was chauffeur of the Taft steam
roller at Chicago, got up.
"No organization which would
be able to arrange a strike against
the government should be toler
ated," he said. "It will be a sorry
day for this country when we
grant the right of government
employes to strike. There would
soon be no government."
Senator Sutherland, of Utah,
said that a provision permitting
organization of postal employes
would simply be an invitation to
them to join the American Fed-
eration of Labor, which body
would then be able to call them
out on sympathetic strikes.
Senator Cummins of Iowa de
clared that strikes by govern
ment employes would be "little
less than treason."
The officers of the postal de
partment have denied. LaFol
lette's charge that his letters to
postal employes were opened. La
Follette says he can prove it.
LaFollette said he had thou
sands of letters from postal em
ployes, showing how they had
been persecuted v by the depart
ment because they refused to
abandon organizations disap
proved by the officials.
An amendment by Reed (Dem.,
Mo.), prohibiting membership or
affiliation with any organization
which countenances strikes, was
adopted.
Another amendment that the
to furnish Congress any informa
tion snouia oe intenereo witn
was also adopted.
Help for Bachelors.
A Minneapolis "preacher says
that bachelors are, bachelors be
cause they're so bashful. And this
is what he proposes to do for the
poor, blushing bachelor of his
congregation :
Introduce him to a nice young
woman.
Provide them a place to do'
their courting.
"Help him get a license.
Pay for it.Tf necessary.
Marry 'em free of charge.
Frame the wedding certificate.
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